DALLAS — The Dallas Cowboys lost their third preseason game, this time a 20-14 defeat to the Houston Texans on Saturday night. The defeat pushed the team to 0-3 for the exhibition season.
Ultimately, the final score wasn’t of much concern as this was a game during which the Cowboys were missing not only franchise quarterback Dak Prescott and star running back Ezekiel Elliott, but they also didn’t have their defensive coordinator Dan Quinn or defensive tackle Carlos Watkins who entered COVID-19 protocol just before the game.
It appeared as though Dallas had escaped a big outbreak among their ranks as the one coach and one player were the only personnel missing from the penultimate preseason contest. The Cowboys also survived without any injuries to come from the game.
However, a day later revealed that Quinn and Watkins would not be the only members of the team heading into protocol as three more Cowboys entered on Monday.
This isn’t great news with the regular season approaching. The team kicks off their quest for a sixth Super Bowl title in 17 days and any setback as they prepare could prove costly.
Time can also help. With over two weeks to go until the season opener, there is ample time for the players to clear.
The biggest concern now is that it could spread, and more Cowboys could be affected. If that happens, no one knows how the timeframe or the availability of any player will be altered if they are forced into protocol. It does appear as though the Cowboys do have a high number of players vaccinated, including wideout CeeDee Lamb and Quinn, but it’s not clear who isn’t vaccinated among the organization.
To try and prevent the spread, the Cowboys were working virtually on Monday as they prepared for their final preseason game, but will return to on-field work on Tuesday.
Among those in COVID-19 protocol, the absence of Lamb and Quinn would have the most impact if their issues linger. Lamb’s had a stellar offseason and Quinn’s received rave reviews for his work with the team.
It’s a surprise to see Hooker on the list since he had been waiting to join the team after signing a week into training camp. Because league rules required him to test negative, he had to wait to practice. Now, after just one week of practicing, the safety needs to enter protocol. Hooker is also fully vaccinated so it will be easier for him to make a return if further tests clear him.
Safety Israel Mukuamu might be hurting the most in terms of football impact. The rookie sixth-round pick is fighting for a roster spot and could use all the practice time he can get. If Mukuamu can’t play in the final preseason game, where he was sure to get a high number of snaps to show that he deserves to be on the roster, it could have unfortunate consequences for him.
All safety measures are being taken right now, but the latest outbreak among the Cowboys shows that COVID-19 isn’t just going to go away and is something the team and the league will be dealing without throughout the 2021 season. It’s now something that could impact the team ahead of the season-opener against the reigning Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The hope is that this is all precautionary and that the measures put in place by the NFL help to defuse the flare-up. Meanwhile, the Cowboys will continue to get ready for the regular season. It’s wait and see time for the Cowboys, a position no one wants to be in this time of year.
Do you think the Cowboys will be healthy and ready to go when the season opener rolls around next month? Share your thoughts with Ben on Twitter @BenGrimaldi.